Big news from our warehouse — our brand-new netting machine is officially here!
This innovative piece of equipment is designed to portion and bag loose produce, like zucchini or potatoes, into easy-to-carry netted packs, just like what you’d find at the grocery store. It speeds up the sorting process, allows for multiple projects to run simultaneously, and helps ensure more fresh, high-quality food reaches our neighbors.
“We are anticipating that the new netting machine will increase our productivity from the way we are packing product. It will also allow us to work multiple projects at the same time in Sort. This will allow us to provide our neighbors a variety of healthy options in pack sizes like you would see at your local grocery stores. I am most excited to see the volume this piece of machinery will produce and the positive effects it will have to help serve our neighbors,” shares Gabe Ornelas, Sort Manager.
Volunteers start by spot-checking produce and placing it onto the netting machine, which then automatically weighs out the designated amount and moves it down the line to be bagged and sealed — all in one smooth process. Before this, every step — weighing, bagging, and sealing — had to be done by hand.
“It’s pretty amazing. It’s efficient. It’s exciting!” shared the first two volunteers who had the chance to test it out.
This cutting-edge tool represents a major leap forward in how we package produce, helping us move faster, smarter and with even more impact.
Come experience the innovation for yourself — volunteer in the warehouse and check out the netting machine firsthand!
